Panel crating structure



April 15, 1952 L. w. JOHNSON ETAL 2,593,152

- PANEL CRATING STRUCTURE Filed 00% 14, 1948 3 Sheets$heet 1 Iv 2G 49-! INVENTRS April 15, 1952 L. w. JOHNSQN 2,593,152

PANEL CRATING' STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 14, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVE. TORS jaw |. w. JOHNSON ET AL 2,593,152

PANEL CRATING STRUCTURE April 15, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 14, 1948 secure the crating, elements together. While it 7 to provide 'an all-metal panel-cratin structure .yvhich are not integral ,parts of the paill -niatingilements each adapted ti) extend :I

"'"TFlg. 2211s a perspective v ew f one of t n- Patented Apr. 15, 1952 RANEL crm'rmc siren-prune 1 Leonard W. Johnson and JHerbert :Rottle,

Am sbury; M s, assign rs to The Boiler Gomany, Inc. Ameshury Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts eefiei i ooovw "we e Cla s ?!Ifirfifl? V 22 i Fi "3 s a p rspect ve view o one '9; the other This invention relates to improvements in two oppositeehannel elemen s i he edge-protectingcrating' structures for packaging a fplurality of \wall board panels or the likefor Eig. -1; i a V, shipment. More particularly'it provides such "a Fig.4 is at firagmentaryperspectiye yie y o one crating structure comprising edge-enclosing 6 corner portion of the crate of Fig. 1, showing the channel members having improved means for interlockin ton ues n he "l fll q lii? 9%??? effecting a secure inter-lock at corner junctures elements at an intermediate stage ot'locsing; of adjacent channel members. Fig.5 isayievq similar't Heretofore;conventional crating structures for cornerl ols ate oompletedstagg; h A wall board panels have employed metal channels 1Q Fig. 6 is across-sectional yieyv on line 6 ft 79f protectors :atonly two Opposite edgesof the crate Fig. 5:; 7' er:packa'ge and each of the other two edges has Eigs. 71, 5 and are fragmentary ner p ot yes had a relatively thick wooden strip extending of Tone corner region or a state a's'illus therealong to which turned-over tongues on the Fig. l, putshgyy g rnod'fi f' Ill ends of the metal channels have been'nailed to is ue or the channel elements;

we 0 ve ra enta e eeee ve new o e modified or o n l ement a has been known to employ channel elements on V I t W allffouri sides or panel crates, with various means l1 shoW.- l 1; l I'-, p forsecuring the elements together 'at the corners, two in ter;-fitting channe the mentioned conventional crating structure 20 modif ed foi'iri of 13 9 9 6 having wood strips along two edges has met with nel e1eni ts lo e ne s lipwn f considerable :favor because of "the relative ease Fig. l2 isa fragmentary I'ele of'application. Howey'er, the use of wood strips nel elements 'of 1'1 ass sacrifices needed strength, and, the relatively thick wood strips add substantially to the over: all dimensions of aerate or package.

It isgamong the objects of Your :present invention which adds only slightly to the dimensions of the crated panels per 386, and which includes simple and efiectiye means for quickly [locking the elements securely at-corners of the crate or packa 7 Another object is to provide vpanel) rating structural elements which quickly and effectiqely may b e assembled in protecting and holdingrela tion :to assemblage of .panels without any securing means penetrating the panels, and without" need vforuany extraneous securing Imeans structure.

A iurther object is to ,provide a ,pair of a similar ra lyfi n protective vane nemmgreiauf to adjacent side qgesnr sn assembla e of 7 p is. an including interlocking meansforseg- 'ingfthe rtwopelenients "at only two corners fof t rate; l H It moreo ver, our purpose and object generally toimprove upon ,prior" panel crat'ingfstrue 60 "Referrin uses; v i

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig; '1 is jan eleyation of a crate or package of panels embodying features of'the invention;

"Figs 1 6, rourireetangularz aneis I H v H U W A H I t able ri um erand"siieiwni irarenozbe nackaeed positechannelelements ofthe 'c'rate of Fig.1;"- 65 orerated'as a unit for shipment: .Two similar t l o inuicative or panels orianyrsuit sheet metal channel elements I2 are adapted to engage over two opposite edges of the assemblage of panels, and two similar sheet metal channel elements I4 are adapted to engage over the other two edges of the assemblage of panels.

According to the invention, each channel element I2, at each end thereof, has a portion of the bottom wall of the channel cut away as at It whereby the channel side walls project substantially beyond the bottom wall at each end of the element, as best seen in Fig. 2, these projecting portions of channel side walls constituting tongues I8 which may be bent inward toward each other for a purpose which later will appear.

Each channel element I4, at each end thereof, has a portion of each side wall of the channel cut away as at 20 whereby the channel bottom wall projects substantially beyond the side walls at each end of the element, as best seen in Fig. 3, the projecting bottom wall constituting a tongue 22 at each end of the element which is adapted to be bent to stand flatwise across the end of the channel for a purpose which later will appear.

The length of each channel element I2, I4, excluding the projecting tongues I8 or 22, will approximate the length of the particular panel edges which it is to cover. However, the channel elements I2 are slightly wider than the elements I4 so that the elements can be arranged over the edges of the grouped panels ID with the end portions of the channel elements I4 engaging within end portions of the channel elements I2 at each of the four corners of the package, and with the tongues I8 and 22 projecting. Then, the tongues I8 at each corner are bent inward against the bottom wall of the adjacent channel element I4, as illustrated in Fig. 4, following which each tongue 22 is bent over upon the tongues I8 to effectively lock the channel elements I2, I4 together at each corner, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

Inasmuch as a package or crate of panels may be relatively large and heavy, it is desirable to have at least one channel element .exteriorly smooth along one edge of the package whereby this channel element can serve as a rail on which the package may be slid on edge during handling of the package or crate. Our improved channel elements and corner locks are designed so that either of the two channel elements I2 can serve as a smooth sliding rail, the main bodies of the three tongues at each corner being out of the plane of the exterior edge surface of the package. However, as best seen in Figs. and 6, the rounded base portion 23 of each turned over tongue 22 stands close to the cut end of the bottom wall of channel elements I2 preventing any substantial cutting or digging in action at these end regions during handling of the package or crate.

When crating the panels II), the assembled panels convenientlymay be supported in a generally horizontal plane with their edges free to receive the channel elements which latter quickly and easily may be applied and locked at the corners without any element penetrating the panels. The tongues I8, 22, by strokes of a hammer, or the like, may be bent to their retaining inter-locked relations as illustrated in Fig. 5, and each channel element I2, I4 engages directly against the edges of the panels whereby the completed package or crate has dimensions only slightly greater than the panels. This is of practical importance as compared with conventional panel crating structures which require relatively thick-wooden strips atthe opposite ends of the package or crate which add from four to eight inches to the over-all length, an item which materially increases shipping space requirements as well as providing a weaker structure as compared with the structures herein disclosed.

Figs. '7, 8 and 9 show modifications of the Figs. l-6 structure in which the tongues 22' have extra length for engaging under the end-most baling wire 24 which ordinarily is wrapped around the completed crates to further strengthen the pack ages. In Fig. '7, each tongue 22' has its end portion preliminarily formed to provide the seating groove 26 for a baling wire. By this means, the baling wire is maintained by the tongue against slip along the channel elements, and the tongues 22' are retained by the baling wire against accidental dislocation out of locking relation to the tongues I8.

In Fig. 8, the tongues 22' have the extra length as in Fig. '7, but a mound 28 is formed on the channel element I4 in position to be engaged by the end portion of tongue 22'. In this case, the wire seating groove 26 may be formed by hammering the end of the tongue 22' to depress portions between mound 28 and tongues IS.

The modification of Fig. 9 has only the central region 29 of the tongue 22 preliminarily formed to provide a wire-seating groove, the adjacent lateral portions of the tongue being depressed to engage fiatwise against the channel element Fig. 10 illustrates a modified form of the channel elements I2. The main extent of these elements I2, in the Fig. 10 form, may have the same width as the channel elements I4, but the end portions I2 are expanded to the extra width required to receive the elements I4.

Referring now to Figs. 11 and 12, the channel elements I 4, in this form, are similar to the channel elements I4 of Fig. 8, with the extra long tongues 22', but the tongues 22', before associating the channel elements together, are bent from their initial dotted line position in Fig. 11 to the full line position, and the channel elements I 2", in this case, have an out-set integral strip portion near each end of an element I2 providing a slot 30 through which one of the tongues 22' may be inserted. Also, slightly inward of each slot 30, each element I2" is provided with an out-set mound 32 which cams the end of tongue 22' a little away from the element I2 as the tongue is forced through slot 30. This automatically locates the end of the tongue in the inclined dotted position thereof in Fig. 12, which facilitates engagement of the tongue end by a hammer or the like to bend it over to its full line position in Fig. 12. Obviously, if desired, the channel element I 2" of Figs. 11 and 12 may have its main extent of the same width as the width of channel element I4, with only its end portions expanded to the needed greater width, comparable to the showing in Fig. 10. By mitering the side walls of the channel elements I2"' and I4, as at 34 in Fig. 13, the entire extents of allv channel elements may be of equal widths, this mitering being applicable to the Figs. 1-6 form as well as to the Figs. 7-8 modifications and the Figs. 11 and 12 form. 7

Instead of forming the slots 30 in the channel elements I2", as shown in Figs. 11-13, two tongues 36 may be out-set near each end of the element, as illustrated in Fig.- 14. Then the grease tongue 22" or element l4 or 1 4- may "be arranged between the tongues '36 and the latter bent over upon the tongue '22, with incidental bending of the end portion of the tongue -22 over the mound 32 so that it assumes a position generally the same as its dotted position in Figs. 12 and I3, rrom which dotted position it conveniently may be bent over upon the tongues "'36 as shown in full :lines in Fig. 15. Here again, the end portions only of one or the other of the inter' fitting channel elements may be expanded in a manner comparable to the Fig. showing, or the side wallsoff all channel elements may be miteredas at in Fig, 16 so-a's to "have uniform ty f width of all channel element's throughout the extents of their respective channels.

While the channel elements illustrated in Figs. *il-lS have various important advantages over prior comparable panel packaging and crating structures, we prefer to reduce the number of parts to a practicable minimum by providingonly two separate channel elements, each of which engages over the panel edges alongtwo adjacent sides of the package or crate. 'Fig. 17 illustrates such a package or crate of panels wherein only two channel elements and only two corner "locks are "required. Both of the channel elements may be identical in structure. In 18, :one suitable channel element structure is portrayed in full line prior to bending "of *one-half into the rightangularirelation to the other half, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 18. The channel portion 40 is adapted to engage over the edges of panels l0 along one side edge of the assemblage of panels, and the integral channel portion 42 is adapted to be bent into right angular relation to portion 40 so as to engage over the edges of the panels along an adjacent side edge of the assemblage of panels. The portion 42, adjacent to the line of bending at 43, is expanded in width as at 44, and the side walls are deeply notched at 48, so that the side walls of the expanded region can swing outside of the side walls of the adjacent portion 40. The free end of portion 40 is formed with the projecting tongue 48, comparable to the tongues 22 on the channel element l of F 3, and the free end of portion 42 is same as shown in Fig. 5.

Figs. 19-21 show variations of the structure at the region of bending between the portions 40, 42 of the channel element of Fig. 18.

All of the illustrated channel elements may be of suitably rigid sheet metal stock which conveniently may be rolled to shape according to well known metal-forming procedures.

We claim as our invention:

1. A structure for crating rectangular panels, comprising a plurality of sheet metal channel elements adapted to engage over the edges of one or more panels, means at an end of each of two of said channel elements whereby said ends of said two channelelements fit together to provide a right-angular juncture of the elements with the channels open inward, a tongue integral with one of said channel elements at said fitted end thereof. and a generally fiat body of metal 6 at said fitted end of the other channel element, integral with and displaced out of the plane of a wall of said other channel element, :said dis? placed body extending transversely of the general direction of extent of said tongue, "said tongue being inserted behind said displaced body and being bent back over upon the said body, thereby to eiiect a secure inter-lock between-the two said channel elements.

2. A structure for crating rectangular "panels. comprising a plurality of sheet metal channel elements adapted to engage over the edges of one or more panels, a pair of tongues at an end of one of the channel elements, each said tongue being 'an integral extension "of a side wall er a channel element extending beyond the a acent end of the bottom'wall of said channel element, and said tongues being turned inward into gen eral-alignment with each other 'acros'slthe end of the channel and in a plane parallel and spaced outward from said end of the bottom wall of said channel element, a single tongue on an end of another of said channel elements, said single tongue being an integral extension of the bottom wall of the latter said element extending beyond the ends of the sidewalls of the latter said element, said single tongue {being inserted behind said pair of tongues and bent back over upon saidtonguesytherebyto effect a positive inter 'l'ock between the twos a'id channel elements. 1 1

3.1a a crating structure for rectangular panels, two channel elements adapted to engage over two angularly related adjacent side edges of superimposed panels, with ends of said channel elements engaging together at a corner of the panels, means for effecting an inter-lock between said channel elements at said corner, comprising a pair of tongues at the ends of the side walls of one of said elements, said tongues being bent into opposed mutual alignment across an end of the channel of said one element, and a single tongue at the end of the bottom wall of the other channel and inserted behind said pair of tongues and turned back over upon said pair of tongues, whereby said elements are positively locked together at said corner.

4. A structure for crating a plurality of superimposed rectangular panels, comprising two similar channel elements each having length and width of channel for engaging over the full extent of two-adjacent edgesof the assembly of superimposed panels, means at a mid-location along each of said elements whereby approximately one-half the extent of each element may be bent into generally right angular relation to the other half, with its opposite end portions at two diagonally opposed corners of the panels, a pair of tongues at one end of each of said elements, a single tongue at the other end of each of said elements, said pair of tongueson each element being displaced into alignment across the ends of the respective channels, and said single tongue on each element being inserted behind the pair of tongues on the other element and bent back over upon said pairs of tongues whereby said two channel elements are locked together only at each of said two diagonally opposed corners.

5. In a crating structure for holding and pro. tecting the edges of an assemblage of superim-x posed rectangular panels, a plurality of sheetmetal channel protectors for engaging over adjacent edges of the assemblage of panels with two of said channel protectors having ends which come together at a corner of the assemblage of panels, and means at said ends of said two channel protectors for securely locking the channel protectors together at said corner, said looking means comprising a pair of parallel tongues at the end of one of the channel protectors, each tongue being an integral extension of a 'difierent side wall of said one channel protector, and said tongues being displaced toward each other across the end of-the channel, and a single tongue at the end of the other channel protector, said single tongue being an integral extension of the bottom wall of said other channel protector and being inserted behind said'pair of tongues and turned back over upon the outer faces of the pair of tongues, thereby to efiect a secure interlock between the channel protectors at said corner.

6. In a plural-panel shipping package wherein a plurality of rectangular panels are in superimposed relation with their respective edges in registering alignment, a sheet-metal edge protector and holder having channel cross-section engaged over and extending throughout the extent of one side edge of the assemblage of panels and, at a corner of said assemblage, sharply bent at a right angle and extending thence through- -out the extent of and engaged over another side edge of the assemblage of panels, means at the corner location of said bend adapting the channel portions at opposite sides of the bend to coact in providing right-angular continuity of the channel cross-section at the region of the bend, a second similar sheet-metal edge protector and holder having channel cross-section engaged over and extending throughout the extent of the other two side edges of the assemblage of panels, said second protector being sharply bent at a right angle at the juncture of said other two side edges, a tongue integral with each said edge protector and holder at one end of each, and a generally flat body of metal at the other end of each edge protector and holder displaced out of the plane of a wall thereof, said displaced bodies extending transversely of the general direction of extent of said tongues, each said tongue being inserted behind a said displaced body and being bent back over upon the said body thereby to effect a secure inter-lock between the two said edge protectors and holders.

LEONARD W. JOHNSON. HERBERT W. POTTLE.

REFERENCES CITED,

The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

